Collapsible spring cot-bed



J. W. RICHARDS.

COLLAPSIBLE SPRING COT BED.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, ms.

1 ,330,901 I Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

JOHN W. RICHARDS, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

COLLAPSIBLE SPRING COT-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Application filed March 26, 1919. Serial No. 285,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Spring Cot-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a collapsible cot tions being pivoted together at 32, the ar- 1,302,434, dated April 29, 1919, the said bed including a flexible bed bottom composed of practically inextensible fabric, a supporting frame, and springs connecting the ends of the fabric with the frame, the arrangement being such that when the frame is operatively adjusted for use, the springs and fabric are put under tension, so that the fabric constitutes a comfortable and suitably yielding support for the occupant of the bed, the fabric, springs and frame being foldable into a relatively small compass.

The present invention has for its chief object to enable the frame to be folded more compactly than heretofore, and to enable the fabric, the springs, and the cross-bars with which the springs are connected to be readily detached from the frame to constitute an independently foldable structure.

The invention is embodied in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

.Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible spring, cot bed embodying the invention.

Fig. 2ris a side view showing the frame partially folded to reduce its length.

Fig. 3 is an end view showing the frame partially folded to reduce its width.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a portion of the fabric,'one of the cross-bars, and the springs connecting one end of the fabric with the cross-bar.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings. 12 represents a bed bottom composed of flexible substantially inextensible fabric. such as canvas. The opposite ends of the fabric are connected by helical springs 13 with cross-bars 14, said fabric, springs and cross-bars being detachable, as hereinafter described, from the frame. and adapted to be rolled or folded as an independent structure.

The cross-bars are supported by a foldable and extensible frame includin sets of legs 15, having sockets 16 with which the cross bars 14 are separably engaged, and longitudinal members connecting said legs in side pairs, that is, in pairs, the members of which are at opposite sides of the bed, said legs and the longitudinal members constituting two longitudinal lazy-tongs, adapted to be folded to reduce the length of the frame. Two of the members of each of said lazytongs are toggle members 17, connected by joints 18, operable by downward pressure, and cotiperating to extend the frame to the extent required to elongate and increase the tension of the springs 13 and strain the fabric 12. The joint 18 is at the inner ends of the members 17, and said members are centrally pivoted at 19 to inclined longitudinal members or bars 20 which are pivoted at their outer ends at 21 to the upper ends of the legs 15, and are pivoted together at their inner ends at 22. The meeting ends of the longitudinal bars are arranged to bear on a floor or other support, at points between the legs and between the ends of the frame.

The outer ends of the toggle members 17 bear loosely and separably at 23 on the legs 15, the members 17 being loosely connected with the legs by links 24, pivoted at 25 to the toggle members, and at 26 to the legs.

When the frame is operatively extended, as shown byFig. 1, the toggle members 17 are horizontal and substantially in alinement with each other. 7

When the meeting ends of the toggle members 17 are raised, as shown by Fig. 2, their outer ends are separated from the legs 15, and the legs are moved toward each other. This movement may be continued until the legs are parallel with and very nearly in contact with each other. the frame being folded into a much more compact form than that represented by Fig. 2. Downward pressure on the meeting ends of the toggle members 17, continued until said members are in alinement with each other, extends the frame to the operative position shown by Fig. 1.

The frame includes also transverse members connecting the legs 15 in end pairs, or in pairs the members of which are at opposite sides of the bed. so that the leg. and the transverse members constitute two transverse lazy-tongs, adapted to be folded to reduce the width of the frame.

The transverse connecting members include two pairs of crossed transverse bars the upper ends of which are pivoted at 29 to the upper end portions of the legs, while the lower ends are pivoted at 30 to the lower end portions of the legs, the crossing portions of the bars being pivoted together at 31. Each bar is composed of an upper sec tion 28 and a lower section 28 these sec tions being pivoted together at 32, the arrangement being such that the legs 15 may be moved toward each other to reduce the width of the frame, as indicated by Fig. 3. This movement may be continued until the legs practically meet, so that the folded structure is reduced to a more compact form than that shown by Fig. 3. V

The cross-bars 1 1 are provided at their opposite end portions with stop members 33,

arranged to bear on the outer sides of the legs 15, and thus positively limit the crosswise extension of the frame.

When the length of the frame is reduced, the cross-bars 14 are removable from the sockets 16, and may be rolled with the springs and fabric into a compact bundle.

When the frame is completely folded, it forms a compact bundle'the length of which is that of the bars 17, the four legs nearly meeting and being substantially parallel with each other.

When the bed is operatively extended, the cross-bars 14: are held in engagement with the leg sockets 16, and the stops 33 on the cross-bars are held in engagement with the legs 15 by the strained fabric 12 and the tensioned springs 13.

I claim: 1. A collapsible spring cot bed comprising. cross-bars, a flexible and substantially .inextensible fabric, springs resiliently connectlng the ends of the fabric with the crossbars, the said cross-bars, fabric and springs constituting an independently 'foldable structure, and a foldable and extensible frame including sets of legs having sockets with which said cross-bars are separably engaged, longitudinalmembers connecting said legs in side pairs, said legs and longitudinal members constituting two longitudinal lazy-tongs adapted to be folded to reduce the length of the frame, two of the members of each lazy-tongs being toggle members connected by joints operable by downward pressure and cooperating to eX- tend the frame to the extent required to elongate and increase the tension of the springs and to strain said fabric.

2. A collapsible spring cot bed comprising cross-bars, a flexible and substantially inextensible fabric, springs resiliently connecting the ends of the fabric with the said cross-bars, the said cross-bars, fabric and springs constituting an independently foldable structure, and a foldable and extensible frame including sets of legs having sockets with which said cross-bars areseparably engaged, inclined longitudinal bars pivoted at their outer ends to the upper ends of the legs, and pivoted together at their inner ends, the meeting ends. of the said longitudinal bars being arranged to bear on a support at points between the ends of the frame, toggle members pivotally connected with said longitudinal bars, and bearing'loosely at their outer ends on the legs,

and links loosely connecting the toggle" members with the legs, the inner ends of .said members meeting and belng pivoted together to form toggle joints operable by downward pressure, and cooperating to exric, the frame including also transverse members connecting said legs in pairs, said legs and transverse members constituting two transverse hlazy tong's adapted to be folded to reduce the width of-the frame, and

the said cross-bars being provided with stops engaging opposite sides of the legs when the frame is op'eratively extended, to

limit the extension and preventthe folding of said'transverse lazy-tongs. i

In testimony whereof I have. affixed my signature. r r

JOHN w. mommies. 

